The prior art is documented with examples of existing hot plate, laser, or ultrasonic welding processes for producing an array of thermoplastic automotive related components. Among these are included such components as gas tank vents, diesel fuel chamber vents, radiator pressure bottles and windshield solvent bottles.
Wohlrab, US 2003/0175381, teaches a two plate closing unit of an injection molding machine including both stationary and movable mold mounting plates. Smith, US 2008/0277839, teaches a hollow structural part created in a co-injection molding system in a single forming operation.
Jung, U.S. Pat. No. 8,414,813, teaches a method and apparatus of making multi-component plastic molded parts including a pair of outer platens with first half-molds, and a middle platen with second half-molds interacting with the first half molds so as to define cavities in two parting planes of injection of a plastic melt. Of note, one of the first and second half-molds can move in increments relative to one another thereby forming different cavities in the parting planes from cycle to cycle.
Other prior art references of note include the process for simultaneous forming of at least two parts of thermoplastic material set forth in FR 2904255, and which includes providing tooling with two half shell molds superposed on each other and movable between closed and open positions. In one operational protocol, the molds are initially disposed in the ajar position, following which a predetermined amount of thermoplastic material is injected into the molds. The molds are subsequently closed to compress the material, forming the part, following which the molds are opened and the part removed.